Sweet Potato Fries

This recipe is reprinted from “New Favorites for New Cooks” by Carolyn Federman. Published by Ten Speed Press. Copyright 2018.

Sweet Potato Fries

This is my daughter Romy’s after-school snack of choice. Roasty and soft, and just a little crispy on the outside, these baked sweet potato “fries” are a cinch. Aside from peeling and slicing the potato, there’s really nothing to it. Sweet potatoes go by many names; for this recipe, choose the ones with reddish skin and orange flesh, commonly called garnet yams.

You will need: Measuring spoons, vegetable peeler, chef’s knife, medium bowl, baking sheet, oven mitt

Makes 2 servings

• 1 medium sweet potato
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

1. Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

2. Using a vegetable peeler, peel the sweet potato. Using a chef’s knife, cut it in half, crosswise. Stand one piece up, with a flat side on a cutting board, and cut 1/4-inch slices. (Remember to use “the claw” to protect your fingers.) Stack the slices and cut them into fries, about 1/2 inch wide. Repeat the process with the rest of the potato.

3. Put the cut potatoes in a medium bowl, drizzle with the olive oil, and, with clean hands, toss until they are coated with oil. Add the salt and paprika and toss them again by gently shaking the bowl back and forth a few times. Arrange the potatoes on a baking sheet in one layer; do not crowd them, or they will not crisp.

4. Bake until the edges are browned and the fries look crisp, not moist, about 15 minutes. If the edges are not yet browned, bake for another 5 to 10 minutes. If the fries are very uneven in size, remove the baking sheet from the oven after 10 minutes—use an oven mitt!—and quickly give them a stir. Return the baking sheet to the oven and continue cooking until the fries are lightly browned. Turn off the oven and transfer the baking sheet to the countertop.

5. Let the fries cool for 2 to 3 minutes (but no more!). Serve warm.